11 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

A wonderful, historical romance, set in 1842, about a beautiful, aristocratic young lady from England who is kidnapped on the high seas during a pirate attack. The young, notorious American captain of the pirate ship breaks his own rule of never taking captives and decides to stake his claim on the headstrong beauty and stows her away in his cabin for himself. Their wild, passionate story sizzles with fire and ice and is hard to put down!

I love reading romance novels. Island Flame by Karen Robards is one of my favorite books. It takes place in 1842 in Portugal. This novel is great and forces you to use your imagination. The book is sweet and fiery at the same time. It kept me hooked all throughout the book.
The book is about a beautiful girl who was on a route to London because her father thought it was good for her to go stay with her sister. She was only seventeen and was getting ready to get married; probably some Duke since her father was England's Ambassador of Portugal. Her name was Lady Catherine Aldley and she knew she was gorgeous and wanted by almost all men. She was sweet and kind when she wanted to be, but she was also stubborn and had quite a temper, the only other person who knew that was her nurse, Martha. Martha took care of Catherine since she can remember and has been a mother to her, since sadly enough Catherine's mother died ten years ago. Karen brings you through an adventurous ride of a love from a pirate to that of a pampered girl "Vowing that she would make him a prisoner of desire."
Island Flame is a great book and anyone who likes to read romance and suspense at the same time will love this book
Robard's "Sea Fire " is a continuation of this story.

Carried off to an isolated pirate island, Lady Catherine Adley longed for the chance to slit Jonathan Hale's neck. But his desire for her was boundless, and Catherine's flesh soon burned for his skillful touch. When the English rescued her and took Hale captive, Catherine found herself shamelessly begging for the life of the man she had sworn to kill.

An aristocratic beauty and a notorius pirate -- in a love story that sizzles with passionate adventure and unbridled desire...
Lady Catherine Aldley was en route to London when pirates attacked her ship. Just in time, Captain Jonathan Hale rescued her from his own men, sweeping her into his arms, staking his claim on the pampered daughter of England's ambassador to Portugal. All Catherine had were her wits and the will to beat her captor at his own game. His searing kisses kindled unfamiliar passions, but she vowed to make him her prisoner of desire...
He was a legendary pirate..daring, triumphant, free. Johathan Hale never took captives and always escaped. Until he saw the headstrong beauty he couldn't leave behind. She was fire and ice, a lady outraged, a tigress in his arms. Cathy refused to be treated like a chattel, yet yielded to his sensual invasion as she conquered his body and soul. She made loving truly dangerous, exposing his deepest fears -- and his mutinous heart.

This story continues on in Robard's next book, SEA FIRE.
These books are a MUST READ if you love pirate novels.

Young and wxquisitely beautiful, Lady Catherine Aldley had been raised by England's most proper governesses and sent to the finest schools, but Jonathan Hale made her feel like a common doxy. The lustful pirate had attacked Catherine's ship en route to Portugal; he had spared her life, but taken her innocence as payment in a night of savage passion.

I found parts of this disgusting. This book screams abuse and battered wife, but then I have to remember not only the era its from (1842) but the year it was written (1981). A lot has changed since then and sadly this used to be the allowed treatment of women